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Saturday, 1 October 2011

Questions, and a Giveaway

Why wasn't it this hot and sunny when I was in close proximity to beaches for half the summer?

Why do I always wake up early on a weekend but need an alarm on weekdays?

And now the question I really want the answer to. Why didn't I see that little silver car behind me yesterday when I reversed my car? Why?!!

Well, enough of that. Now you know why I was in such a bad mood yesterday. I was dealing with feelings of total inadequacy. It would help if I hadn't made my stupid mistake outside the school, with witnesses, and have the other car belong to one of the other school mums. But it happened and I will have to just suck it up and get on with it. Yesterday's self pity party for one is officially over and time to move on. But I still thank Mr Cadbury, and a particularly nice vineyard in Chile that makes a delightful Malbec.

So on to more interesting stuff. Did you enjoy school? Did you like literacy (as they call it now - I think we just called it English class)? I loved it, loved (and still do love) reading, loved writing. I could write a proper sentence but ask me to break it up into all its grammatical glory and I hit the wall in my knowledge. How about punctuation? Did you get back reports with little red marks all over it where your teacher corrected your work? I did.

On the other hand, there is punctuation of a different sort these days. I ordered some Punctuation - by American Jane for Moda. It was a Punctuation FQ that was missing from a recent fabric order. I discussed it on the blog. Well the company sent out another FQ to replace the missing one. Only they actually sent me another ten! So I added one to my bundle to make it complete, and then I cheekily added another because I loved it. But I decided that I would let you all share in the bounty by giving away the rest.

You have two chances in this giveaway. For the first chance, leave a comment. That's it. You do not have to follow me. If you want to, if you like my blog - then follow away. But otherwise, just leave a comment, say hello, tell me where you live or something like that.

For a second chance at this giveaway - blog about it and come back and leave a comment telling me you did.

I am happy to post internationally. Remember, if you are a non-reply blogger and I have on means to get hold of you then I will have to redraw and choose someone who I have the contact details for.

That's it. Eight FQs of Punctuation up for grabs. The giveaway will end on Thursday, October 06th at noon British time.

122 comments:

1. I don't know why it's hotter now than it was in the "summer". *eyeroll*2. I'm the same. I always wake up earlier at the weekends! *another eyeroll*3. Maybe the car must have had its Klingon cloaking device on? I don't know if the insurance people would believe that though.

I did enjoy school but Maths was more my thing than English. Those % signs are calling to me! :o)

I wake up at Sparrow Fart every single day - no alarm clocks needed here. It sucks.

It must have been the other car's fault - I'm just saying you couldn't possibly be responsible.

I loved English at school. I was such a swot and goody two shoes I make myself sick thinking about it. Then my hormones kicked in and I spent two years making up by being very bad for the preceding 9 goody two shoes years.

If I win your give away you have my permission to pick again. I made a quilt out of that fabric this year and I adore it and I'd like someone else to have the chance to play with such pretty fabrics.

I've worked out that the reason I'm up early and without a dig in the ribs from hubby or the sound of my son's early morning trombone practice is because I like the weekend days and want to make the most of them, but on the week days I'd rather stay in bed than face the manic day ahead of me!

I went to such an old-fashioned school (and it was so long ago!) that we did box analysis on sentences, ie parsing, in Grammar, as well as Precis, Summary, Comprehension, Essay, Dictation, Poetry - all as separate lessons. But it all served to increase rather than decrease my love of the English language, and I ended up with a PhD in English literature, and am now a freelance editor and proofreader! I love such things! And I do love the Punctuation range, too - I was just toying with the idea of a FQ bundle as I perused the Ray-Stitch site last night, but unfortunately I have had to buy my daughter school shoes and underwear today, so that has put paid to such material indulgence!

So of course I would love to win, and I am a follower, and don't worry about the car - no reflection on you personally. I did just the same when mine were small, in the swimming pool car park - just reversed straight into a silver car without looking at all. I know it was dark but she did have her headlights on, and the car park was well-lit. I jumped out to give my absolute abject apologies (I know insurance companies say not, but I couldn't help myself), and shared the fact that I had had such a bad day, and was on the verge of collapsing in floods of tears irrespective of the time and place. She was actually very sweet, said not to worry, and to forget that it had ever happened, and I drove off with faith in human nature totally renewed.

This weather is doing my head in... I don't know what to wear or anything as I keep expecting it to break halfway through the day. But it has been amazing eating out this week, not just at lunchtime but in the evening, in central London!

Oh I had a "why" moment last week. I closed the car door shut on my thumb, now why did I go and do that, and also how did I manage that!! Don't know but I do know I will be very very VERY careful in future because I do not want to go through that again any time soon. I live in France as you know (but it didn't make me feel any better...it still hurt - a lot!!) xx

Greetings from Ontario, Canada.One time I was driving with my mom and it was very icy but I had everything under control. As we approached the cars stopped at the red light Mom yelled, "Your going to hit that car!!" When I turned my head to look at my obviously gone mad mother, yep I hit the car. Thanks for a chance in your sweet giveaway. I'm a new follower.

Here`s to messed up fabric orders!! Sorry to hear about your prang outside the school gates. Don`t worry - we`ve all done it or will at some time in our driving careers. Yes, loved English and hate bad punctuation - especially the use of apostrophes. Love this fabric too and aren`t you generous paying it forward like this? Thanks so much for a chance to win some loveliness. As to the matter of waking up, my human alarm clock goes by how much sun can creep through his windows so we batten down the blinds each night and that allows a sleep in until 7.30 or so. Lucky me!

Sorry to hear about the bump, it must have been the other car's fault cos it was too close! Yeah, I was miss goody two shoes at school, sister to the school bully! Loved english even from an early age, not so sure my punctuation was up to much so I need to win the fabric to continue with the school report recomedation 'should try harder!' :) Enjoy the Sunshine whilst it is with us (it's bloomin hot here!)

wow, thats very generous of you to give the fabric away! And its lovely.I share your pain with reversing your car in to one behind you: I did it at a garage, and I wasn;t really reversing slowly as I thought that noone was behind me! I have also reversed in to a pillar in a car park (although i was heavily pregnant at the time!Will blog about your giveaway and then come back and tell you that I have :-)

It has actually begun to feel like fall here in the OC (Southern California), even if it is still 90 degrees during the day. The nights have been nice and crisp! Sorry about your car and the other mum's too. Have a great weekend.

Oh dear Susan but at least you know now that Mr Cadbury has the power to cure everything!!I loved English at school too! I hate bad punctuation and love neat handwriting! we had handwriting lessons when I was at school!Great fabric - thank you for sharing your bounty with us!

I wish I could answer those questions for you but I am simply not that smart. I am glad to hear you are doing a little better today. Sounds like you are on your way back to normal. I will be emailing soon...my day today is similar to your day yesterday.

would love to get some punctuation:))sorry to hear about your bump it is horrid when that happens speaking from "experience"with the children in the car and they wont stop talking about it seems like forever ,i am a follower and i will blog about it ,not too many readers yet though thanks for the chance :))

100 followers, you go girl! Sorry about the prang, sounds cringeworthy, but in the grand scale of things, you'll forget about it, for more important memories :) Lovely giveaway, count me in puurlease xx

If it makes you feel any better I watch two women reverse into each other and I just sat in my car and watched. I didn't think to sound my horn...nah I just watched! I think I was keen to see what which bumper would win! How bad is that!

Sorry about the car incident, it is so easy to happen. I loved English so much I did it at uni but my grammar is still crap! Please please pick me :-) I'm saying hi from lovely Cork where the natives (not me!) regard themselves as the luckiest people in Ireland (being from Cork, the rebel county and people's republic)

I love languages, so I guess I like grammer. Although Czech is a nightmare grammar wise. Masculine, feminine,neuter, singular and plural, then 7 different cases. That's 35 possible endings to every noun. The kids at school spend half their lives having grammer drilled into them. Thanks for the chance to win some Punctuation.

So generous of you - I've got my beady eye on those stripes! Maths is more my thing but I've always got my nose in a book - I've been known to read when I'm doing the washing up! I went to school during a time when all the 'old fashioned' (useful!) stuff was thrown out so wasn't taught the times tables or punctuation, etc. Wish the government would leave education to the people who know about it instead of constantly fiddling! Thank you for the giveaway!

Susan, what a lovely giveaway. Sorry to hear about your little prang. If it makes you feel any better, I'd been at my work for 6 months when I whacked into the back of a colleague doing 55mph. She'd done an emergency stop and I couldn't stop in time so I went up and over the rear right wing of her car and totalled both cars! Ooops.

I think it's silly they call it literacy and numeracy these days, what's wrong with English and Maths? I loved English, loved it, but I only learnt about grammar when I learnt foreign languages. After three years as a teacher of English as a Foreign Language, I can dissect a sentance with the best of 'em, but it doesn't mean I'm always grammatically correct!

2. I wish I knew, but it's iritating when I've been up till 2am the night before!

3. I think little silver cars are in most people's blind spots, because I have several dents in mine that other people have done and then driven away - grr (not that I'm suggesting you did, you understand, it's just irking me!)

4. I loved everything but analysing books. That was torture, and there are a number of books that I still, to this day, cannot abode because of certain English classes! I did, however, have a very cool English teacher for one semester the year I lived in Canada.

Thanks for the chance to win, I shall blog about it later and come back :o)

I didn't enjoy school for the most part. I disliked it so much I fixed my schedule so I could graduate early. I did (and still do) enjoy reading books though and History class.

The funny thing is, this summer I was with my daughter signing her up for her High School classes and I actually got excited about the classes she was taking and wished for a brief moment that I could take them too. I got all excited to learn!

I drove straight into a stone barricade a couple weeks ago. Embarrassing! Shook me up for several days. Yes, I loved school, and I can diagram a sentence, enjoy it very much. And yes, I love punctuation.

We're having some nice Fall weather here in North Carolina. Love the warm days & cool/cold nights. My cats are back into sitting on laps - they don't want that during the dog days of Summer. Thanks for the giveaway.

I had an incredible English teacher in grade 9, Mrs. Orr! She was so passionate about the subject and encouraged me to take up writing for pleasure and passion too.Thank you for the chance to win some of this delicious fabric.

We are into the fall season here in New England - cooler weather and changing color of the leaves, birds gathering for their long flight south and returning geese to the north. Love the Punctuation line - made a charm baby quilt with it- yardage would make for a nice youth quilt.

I loved parts of school so much that I never left. I just found a school that fit me better (and now I get to be in charge). Sorry about your car. My one and only speeding ticket happened in front of a school when I had the flu and was trying to get home via different route. Eat lots of chocolate. It does make things more tolerable. Thanks for the chance to win!

Hello! I have an English degree, not that you'd know it after having two babies! I have no room in my brain for grammar anymore ;)I love this range! I have a soft spot for Canada (and all things Canadian) and I like what I see, so I'm now following you!

Its raining cats and dogs here so send your sunshine , we'd love to have it here on the east coast of Canada in Nova Scotia . I love English in school and Math too but my punctuation is desperate now ;-) I am a new follower , interesting blog! Thanks for the chance to win these great fabrics.

What beautiful fabric you're giving away. It is much prettier than my punctuation since figuring out where my commas and semi-colons went was not my favorite thing. I would much rather figure out what project to sew up with this lovely fabric. Thanks for the opportunity to win your generous giveaway.

I have the worst backing up story ever. I was in the parking garage at work, by myself and saw a person hanging out in their car .. I quickly got in my car and backed up and heard a crunch. I left a note. turns out I had $25 damage to my car .. $16,000 to the other car... Thank goodness for insurance.

What was I supposed to talk about for the giveaway? I really think the fabric is nice. Thanks for opportunity to win.

Thanks for the giveaway -- can add your Punctuation to assist in correcting my punctuation. Notice how I like to use --Seriously, this is most generous of you. Only God knows why things happen as they do. The rest of us usually have to guess.My subject is mathematics though later in my second career as a teacher I would mark papers with blatant English mistakes.

Sorry about the backup! I did the same and I was so upset because we have a small town newspaper that published the police reports! Including traffic citations! Luckily, we were in a private parking lot so I was spared the shame of being identified in the paper but it was an expensive little nudge on the other person's car.My friend says you can have 15 minutes for a pity party, beat yourself up royally and then move on! When I remember, I find it's great advice.That's fun fabric and wasn't that great to send you all that extra fabric. And you are being sooooo generous. Thanks.

Love the fabric! Sorry about your little accident, I had one earlier this summer, but no other vehicles were invloved, just mine and a guard rail. No one seen it happen, but it was still embarrasing, because I had to explain it to my husband! LOL!

Hello from a fellow Canadian... although I am not an ex-pat - I am still here at home in Saskatchewan where the weather is unseasonably lovely (almost 30 degrees Celsius every day this week!). Thanks for the lovely giveaway. I could definitely use this fabric for a fabulous play quilt for my littlest boy!

Sorry about the car thing but I think it's just one of those things that is bound to happen no matter what. I'm sending a virtual hug (and a glass of pink wine, I'm sorry it has to be virtual, too).As for waking up - I'm the same but in my case it is that on weekends I get to do things I love doing.As for literacy, well, in my school it was Polish ;) and I must admit I liked it only in primary school. But I love reading.

Are you seriously complaining about it being sunny? Well ok I know you are just complaining about when the sun occured - but come on, it's sunshine, soak it up already :)

How cool that they sent you 10! I love those ???%%%% ones especially.

I think I must be destined to win this because you clearly have some catching up to do of awarding me giveaways since you've won 3 of mine ;)Mind you if I did then people really might start asking questions LOL....

(PS I can make comments again YAY - can you tell? I think I forgot to tell you that I've been having problems commenting since I got my new laptop - but installed chrome and Blogger seems to like me again now)

Another fellow Canadian here but still right here in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. I also share your passion for American Jane fabrics. It all started for me when I first got interested in quilting and bought some Recess fat quarters, which I love.

Punctuation is so cute - it would make a great quilt for boy or girl - thanks for the chance to win some. So sorry to hear about your fender bender - I had one this year too. Made me mad but boy am I ever over careful now! I live in northern Wisconsin, USA. We are having a lovely indian summer (don't know why they call it that)- warm & sunny - awesome. too bad it might be snowing next week!

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